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Blowin’ in the Wind

When I was 10-years-old, I distinctly remember hearing Bob Dylan for the first time. It was the scene in Forrest Gump when Forrest discovers Jenny’s new place of employment, shows up, and sees her performing “Blowing in the Wind” sans clothing in a sleazy strip joint on the edge of town. The MC announces a tune by “the luscious Bobby Dylan” and there she was, as naked as the day she was born, singing a tune that was as recognizable as any Beatles or Chuck Berry song at the time. I remember liking the song and wondering who Bobby Dylan was, and then discovering his discography shortly thereafter. Hopefully your child’s first Dylan experience won’t incite visions of nakedness like mine. Let’s hope it produces thoughts of like…candy and kitty cats.

As one of many classic, folk-rock gems off of The Freewheelin Bob Dylan, “Blowin in the Wind” continues to exude relevance in a dup-step and Crunk-core world. (I refuse to subject you to this via youtube. Just go on ahead and torture yourself if you have to). Now it’s found a way in the pages of a children’s book that pairs illustrations of Caldecott Honor Medalist, John J. Muth, with Dylan’s signature, poetic verses. Along with the book comes a 1963 recording of the famous song and voice (which some still haven’t warmed up to for reasons beyond my understanding) and a forward by music journalist Greil Marcus. Get your little one wheelin’ and dealin’ with folk’s greatest voice; get them into Dylan and then maybe show them Forrest Gump sometime later. They’ll probably thank you for that.